Patent GB-826627-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to dolls and other figures
IPC: A63H3/40
Filed: 1956-02-20
Abstract: 826,627. Dolls and other figures. WALSS, W. K. Feb. 20, 1956 [Feb. 18, 1955], No. 5200/56. Class 132(3) An eyelid of a doll or other figure may be caused first to close and then to open, so that the doll or the like appears to blink, by a single operation of an operating device. As shown, a doll has eyeballs 3 secured on a shaft 53 to which are also fixed a ratchet wheel 54 and a toothed cam 55. Each eyeball has six irises arranged to form a set of three blue irises and a set of three brown irises, each set having one iris which seems to look to the left, another straight ahead, and the third to the right. The shaft is supported in a frame 41 mounted in the head of the doll and has pivoted on it U-shaped brackets 43, 60 bracket 43 being normally urged upwardly by a spring 44 and carrying a pawl 56 for engagement with the ratchet wheel 54 which is also engaged by a stop pawl 57. The bracket 60 carries a roller 61 on a spring 62 which urges the roller into firm contact with the cam 55. The eye mechanism is operated through links 25, 26 connecting the bracket 43 with one end of a bell-crank lever 49 of which the other end is engaged by the free end of a pivoted rod 29 on which a button 28 is rotatably mounted. Assuming the cam 55 and ratchet wheel to be in the position shown in Fig. 6, upon the button 28 being pushed inwards, the bracket 43 is pivoted downwardly against lower stops 45 and the pawl 56 moves behind ratchet tooth A. Release of the button allows the bracket 43 to pivot upwardly, the ratchet wheel 54 beginning to be rotated by the pawl 56, and the eyelids being closed as the result of the bracket 60 pivoting forwardly under the action of cam tooth A<SP>1</SP> and the roller 61. Completion of the upward movement of the bracket 43 causes the next pair of irises to completely register with the eye sockets substantially at the same time as the roller 61, having mounted the cam tooth A<SP>1</SP>, runs into the valley next to tooth B<SP>1</SP>, the bracket 60 being pivoted to its original position (Fig. 6) and the eyelids being opened. To enable the eyelids to be closed for a longer period, e.g. when the doll is to "sleep", the distance between ratchet teeth A-B and between teeth D, E is made so great that, with the limited travel of the bracket 43, the pawl 56 is unable to engage tooth B (or E) with a single actuation of the button, the pawl engaging a ratchet tooth Z or (Y) and the cam 55 being rotated sufficiently only to cause the eyelids to be closed. Upon further actuation of the button, however. the pawl is now able to engage the tooth B or E, the eyeballs are rotated to their next positions and the eyelids are opened. The eyes of the doll may be made to blink without change of irises by pushing on the button 28 but not releasing it fully. The stop pawl 57 is thus unable to function, the movement of the button being sufficient to open and close the eyelids but the eyeballs being given a small oscillatory movement only. The ratchet may be in the form of a particular member having notches for the engagement of the pawl, Fig. 13 (not shown). The button 28 is also used for rotating the head of the doll. Specifications 680,388 and 826,628 are referred to.